Health Tips

1. Improve resistance
2. Eat well and sleep well
3. Eat fresh food and drink boiled water & fresh fruit juices
4. Use separate hanky as mask
5. Immediate Physician consultation when members have symptoms of Flu
6. Keep your environment clean and tidy
7. Do not use the hanky used as a mask for other purposes
8. Avoid crowded places (cinema, markets, functions etc..)
9. Do not eat out side food (eat fresh food)
10. Use of Ayurveda and Homeopath  prevention medicine and tips help in improving only resistance
11. Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using tissue when possible. Dispose this tissue by using only once.
12. Maintain good hygiene. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of virus. It would be better if you use alcohol sanitizers or Dettol for washing hands
13. Avoid eating outside food because it may be contaminated and may make you infected with the virus
14. Don’t use the public urinals because many people spit there, which could lead to the spreading of the disease
15. Drink more water and Drink the boiled water
16. Avoid contact with the pigs (first preventive measure)
17. Take a special care of children
18. Remember to consult Physician with out fail when you observe Swine Flu symptoms or when you are not sure of the symptoms as well and use the Swine Flu medicine based on the physician's advice
19. Keep the Swine Flu testing hospitals list and telephone numbers available for your self or for any one who contacts for your help
20. Do not get panicky, by following above tips you can be more safe and live long

For more details visit:  Swine Flu

There are a variety of reasons to drink plenty of water each day. Adequate water intake prevents dehydration, cleans out the body, and promotes healing processes. Substituting water for beverages high in calories can also help control weight. Follow the steps below to make sure you're getting enough of this most basic necessity.

• Determine how much water you need : You've probably heard the "8 by 8" rule - drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day (2 quarts, 1.8 liters) - but the amount of water a person needs varies depending on his or her weight and activity level. For those who use the Metric system, divide your weight (in kilograms) by 30 (ex. somebody weighing 70 kg is going to need 2.3 liters per day). Keep in mind that these recommended intake numbers are controversial and some experts believe they are a gross exaggeration
• Measure your daily intake of water. Do this for a few days. If you find that you're drinking less than the recommended quantity, try some of the following tips:
• Carry water with you everywhere you go in a bottle or other container. It is highly recommended that one use glass containers such as an old Perrier bottle. Begin keeping all your glass bottles, and soon you'll find the ideal glass bottle for you. Remember, water will never become toxic in glass containers!
• Keep a glass or cup of water next to you whenever you'll be sitting down for a long time, such as when you're at your desk at work. Drink from it regularly as you're working
• Try wearing a digital watch that beeps at the beginning of each hour. Use that as a reminder to pour yourself a glass of water. Vow to drink that water before the next beep. If you drink only one small (6 ounce or 180 ml) cup per hour, you'll have consumed 48 ounces (1.4 liters) by the end of an 8-hour workday
• Get a water purification system. Purified water tastes very good and may help make drinking water more appealing to you
• Add lemons or limes to your water. This makes it taste better and makes you want to drink more of it. Be careful not to make it too sour, just a splash of sourness should do the trick. Cucumber slices can also be added to a glass of water. Some mint leaves can be added to a pitcher of water which should be allowed to sit overnight. These are cheap alternatives to the bottled flavored water
• Eat water rich foods, such as fruits like watermelon, which is 92% water by weight. Blend up some seedless fresh watermelon flesh with some ice and place a few sprigs of mint (optional) - one of the most refreshing drinks, especially for the summertime. A tomato is 95% water. An egg is about 74% water. An uncooked piece of lean meat is about 70% water
• Keep water cold if it tastes better for you. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator at home. Add ice or freeze water in a sports bottle before taking it with you, it will eventually melt and stay cold. However, too cold water will cost your body energy to heat it to body temperature. But drinking cold water can also help burn more calories than drinking room temperature or warm water because your body would need to heat to heat it to body temperature
• Climate can drastically change how much water you need. On hot days that require you to be outside, you should drink more water to counteract the fluids you lose when you sweat. This not only keeps your body hydrated, it can prevent heat-related illness

Drinking water is not just a trend, it’s essential! Everything your body does it does better with a healthy supply of water, every system in your body depends on water.

Here are 10 reasons why drinking water is good for you and why you should make drinking water part of your daily routine.

1. Get healthy skin
Drinking water moisturizes your skin from the inside out. Water is also essential to maintaining elasticity and suppleness and helps prevent dryness. The real fountain of youth can be found in a glass of water. Nothing will improve the appearance of your skin better than consuming enough water. 

2. Flush toxins
Water helps remove toxins from the body, in particular from the digestive tract. Our kidney system is unique in its filtering capabilities and totally dependent upon water in order for it to work. Daily fluid intake is essential to its efficient operation, particularly because there is some decrease in function with age. Water helps get rid of excess nitrogen, urea, and ketones, so it is particularly important when following a high protein diet. You need even more water to help your kidneys do their work if you are eating big to gain weight.

3. Reduce your risk of heart attack
Researchers at Loma Linda University in California studied more than 20,000 healthy men and women and found that people who drink more than five glasses of water a day were less likely to die from a heart attack or heart disease than those who drank fewer than two glasses a day.

4. Cushion and lube your joints and muscles
Water makes up a large part of the fluid that lubricates and cushions your joints and muscles. And although not the only element associated with muscle cramps, athletes have long recognized that even mild dehydration can produce cramps. So drinking water before, during and after exercise can also help reduce muscle cramping and premature fatigue.

5. Get energized and be alert
On average, most adults lose about 10 cups of fluid a day through sweating, exhaling, urinating, and bowel movements. Even minor dehydration can cause impaired concentration, headaches, irritability and fatigue.

Drinking more water everyday will help your think more clearly. Research has repeatedly shown that staying hydrated is necessary for the human brain, which is 85 percent water, to function at optimal levels. That is why many school systems throughout the country now encourage students to keep a bottle of water at their desks and to drink it throughout the day.

6. Stay regular
Water helps prevent constipation by adding fluid to the colon and bulk to stools. Something as simple as fluid plays a major role in preventing constipation. Not only does the liquid encourage bowel movement, but it also softens the stools.
Water is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption and chemical reactions. The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream. But no less important is the ability of water to transport waste material out of our bodies.

7. Reduce your risk of disease and infection
Consistent failure to drink enough water can lead to Chronic Cellular Dehydration. This condition where the body’s cells are never quite hydrated enough leave them in a weakened state, vulnerable to attack from disease. It weakens the body’s overall immune system and leads to chemical, nutritional and pH imbalances that can cause a host of diseases.

When you don’t have enough water in your body, your cells start to draw water from the bloodstream. Your heart has to work harder because your blood gets sludgy, and your body starts to redirect blood away from less vital areas. Dehydration can set in even before you start to feel thirsty. This is a great strain on the body because it impairs the kidneys in their vital function of purifying the blood and helping the body get rid of toxins.

Also Michaud and coworkers found that the incidence of cancer in the urinary bladder was reduced significantly by a high fluid intake in a ten-year study involving nearly 48,000 men. The top 20% of subjects who participated in the study drank 2500 ml per day or more, while the bottom 20% drank 1200 ml or less. The authors concluded that within this range, the risk of bladder cancer decreased by 7% for every 240 ml of fluid added.

8. Regulate your body temperature
Water regulates the body’s cooling system. Sports drinks are useful when consumed after or during vigorous and prolonged exercise in high heat. But most experts agree that water works better than carbohydrates or sugared beverages for moderate exercise. Water is the nutrient your body needs the most. Between 55 and 75 percent of adult body weight is water, and it is critical in regulating all body organs and temperature.

9. Burn more fat and build more muscle
It has been shown that dehydration decreases protein synthesis. Protein synthesis is what builds muscle. It is an energy costly process. When you suppress protein synthesis, fewer calories end up building proteins and more calories end up in your fat stores.

Increased water consumption can help you control weight by preventing you from confusing hunger with thirst. Water will also keep your body systems, including metabolism and digestion, working properly and give you the energy (and hydration) necessary for exercise.
10. Get well
 Water can help control a fever, replace lost fluids, and thin out mucus. Water plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function. Lack of water is the 1 trigger of daytime fatigue. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
Water is the substance of life. Life can not exist without water. We must constantly be adding fresh water to our body in order to keep it properly hydrated. Water can be a miracle cure for many common ailments such as headaches, fatigue, joint pain, and much more.
Be sure to drink even more fluid whenever you increase your physical activity, when eating a high fiber diet, during hot weather, at high altitudes, in low humidity locations, and when you’re sick, especially if you have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. The best way to figure out if you are drinking enough water is to look at your urine. It should be a very light shade of yellow. Drink up if it is darker. Let your thirst guide you, also. You might not need eight glasses to feel hydrated on a mild day.
You could crave nine or 10 if it is hot or you are exercising. Bottom line? our body is 90 percent water and needs it for digestion, healthy skin, blood circulation, temperature control and lots of other reasons.
Aim to drink one glass of pure water every hour you are awake. And make the process enjoyable. Many people complain that they don’t like the taste of water, or that it is boring to drink! Try these tips for making drinking water an enjoyable process:
Add fresh mint leaves, slices of strawberry, apple, lemon, or lime to a pitcher of water. Serve chilled. Keep a pitcher of “fruit water” in the refrigerator so you always have great-tasting water available.
Try Glaceu Fruit Water, which is distilled water with added fruit essence, without added sugar or artificial sweeteners. It is available at most health food stores. It comes in a variety of fabulous flavors including, watermelon, honeydew melon, raspberry/lime, and strawberry/banana.
Drink herbal teas. Herbal teas have a variety of healing properties and come in a multitude of flavors. Try green tea, yerba matte, chai, chamomile, mint, raspberry leaf, and cinnamon/apple. In the summer time you can serve them over ice. In winter, drink them hot.
Add a squeeze of lemon or lime to water. Warm water with the juice of 1 lemon taken in the morning on an empty stomach is a great liver detoxifier, and has been shown to aid in weight loss.

Drink your water! Stay well hydrated! Stay healthy

1. Move More

Find ways to move your body. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, but a stress buster too. Anything from simple household chores to regular exercise will help.

2. Cut Fat

Consume less of deep fired foods like like baggis, bondas, pakodi’s and other fatty foods. Dariy products such as milk , cream, butter, cheese etc., should be eaten in limited amounts and in low fat versions.

3. Quit Smoking 

Quitting smoking makes a difference right away-you can taste and smell food better. Your breath smells better. Your cough goes away. This happens for men and women of all ages, even those who are older. It happens for healthy people as well as those who already have a disease or condition caused by smoking.

Quitting smoking cuts the risk of lung cancer, many other cancers, heart disease, stroke, other lung diseases, and other respiratory illnesses

4. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook

There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life.

5. Reduce Stress

Follow a daily routine with 30 minutes dedicated to doing something that you like gardening, reading a good book, yoga, going for a walk, meeting and talking to friends, listening to good music etc., thinking positively will enable you to have positive outlook and approach towards life.

6. Protect Yourself from Pollution

Avoid smoke-filled rooms, breathing in high traffic areas. Plant lots of trees in and around your residence; keep your vehicle smoke free by using good petrol and maintaining it in good condition.

7. Wear Your Seat Belt

While driving a car use seat belt. Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes.

8. Floss Your Teeth

Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't?

9. Avoid Excessive Drinking

Avoid excessive drinking though more than one or two drinks a day can cause  health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer.

10. Drink Loads Of Water

Water is the today’s most important nourishment. If you exercise or sweat heavily, your body requires even more water. For example, a normal 68 KGs person requires 2.2 Liters (Minimum) of water daily. An active person may need 3 liters (Minimum) or more. Drinking a refreshing glass of water is easy & so good for you!

Follow these basic tips for healthy living and you can better control your own destiny.

Source: indiacatalog

Remember Diets, Exercise, Influenza, Colds & Depression This Winter

How can you keep healthy and avoid seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during the cold winter months when everyone seems to have the flu and a diet of healthy salads, rich in vitamins and minerals, doesn't seem so appealing? Our ten winter health tips will help to get you through to spring in good shape.

• Eat a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Home-made vegetable soups are good for cold days. This not only provides vitamins that aid the immune system, but these foods are also rich in anti-oxidants, substances known to counteract the effect on the body of free radicals (this may help to prevent some cancers). A daily vitamin and mineral supplement is a good idea, but it's no substitute for those obtained in fresh foods
• Watch that you don’t gain extra weight due to overeating the wrong foods. Comfort foods in moderation are fine, but in winter it is tempting to over indulge
• Have an exercise routine - don't turn into a couch potato just because the temperature drops a few degrees. Put on your thermals and get out there - or alternatively take up an indoor sport or active hobby such as dancing. If you really can’t get out, open the windows each day to freshen the air
• Get plenty of rest. Getting overtired can deplete your immune system leaving you open to infections
• Prevention is better than cure so ask your General Physician about getting a flu shot - they are not just for the elderly. Influenza is debilitating viral illness for the healthiest of us. Thousands of work hours are lost annually due to influenza. Don't wait for the flu season to start before vaccination; go towards the end of autumn. Flu shots do not prevent colds as these are caused by a different virus
• If you catch a common cold take a necessary medicine preparation to help reduce the duration of symptoms. Cold & flu preparations are available from pharmacists to reduce runny noses and fevers. Discard used tissues directly into a bin to prevent spreading the virus to other family members
• Don't demand or take antibiotics for a cold or flu - these illnesses are caused by viruses and cannot be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics are only used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics contribute to the deadly antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that we hear so much about
• Don’t hide away because it is winter, especially if you don’t socialize by going out to work. At first it may not seem like a big deal, but it can become isolating and contribute to feelings of depression
• Beat the winter blues. According to The National Organization for Seasonal Affective Disorder (NOSAD) Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of winter depression which affects many people every winter. If you think that you may suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder), try to get out in the daylight for a while each day. If possible get some winter sun.

Note: Before taking any supplements or medications, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or intend getting pregnant, have a medical condition or already take any form of medication.

Source: generalmedcine